Mother hit by car after pensioner lost control does not know her toddler died in crash

The mother who is seriously injured in hospital after a car crashed into her as she pushed her 18-month-old baby in a pram does not yet know her child is dead.

Jackie Bloomer, 30, was on her way to pick up her
older son from school when an 89-year-old man lost control of his car and smashed into her, killing her younger son Jayden.

The 89-year-old man also lost his life in the horrific crash and is believed to have suffered a heart attack.

Mrs Bloomer is fighting for her life in hospital after suffering
multiple injuries and is not believed to have been given the dreadful
news that Jayden has died.

Jackie Bloomer, 30, is fighting for her life following an accident which killed her 18-month-old son Jayden

Yesterday, as distraught relatives paid tribute to the dead boy,
police said they suspected the driver had collapsed at the wheel while
driving along the busy street in Accrington, Lancashire.

Mrs Bloomer, a nursery nurse, was wheeling Jayden's pram on her way
to collect her older son Declan, five, from primary school on Tuesday
afternoon when the car went out of control and ploughed into them at
about 30mph.

Locals heard a massive bang as the Rover 45 slewed across the
pavement where she had been walking and smashed into the side of an
office block.

Andrew Field, a 38-year-old quantity surveyor who was working
inside, said: 'It was terrible. I heard a big bang and a shudder like
there had been an explosion.

'The mum was lying about 15ft away from the accident. The front of the car had completely gone.

The elderly man's car, which crashed into a mother and her toddler, smashed into the side of an officer block

A police officer surveys evidence from the scene following the fatal crash

'I saw a paramedic cradling the baby and rushing into the ambulance. It was heartbreaking.'

Horrified passers-by gathered round to try to comfort the pensioner
and Miss Bloomer while an air ambulance was scrambled to help rush the
victims to hospital.

One, Matt Aldred, posted a dramatic message on a tribute website
after criticisms that the pensioner - who has not been named - was too
old to be behind the wheel.

He wrote: 'Try dragging his body out of that car, and sitting with
your hand on his hoping to God what faint pulse you can feel won't
disappear.

'Try watching that man die in front of you, and then
tell me about "ideal driving conditions." I will never forget what I
had to witness and what I had to do.'

The pensioner and Jayden were both taken to nearby Royal Blackburn Hospital but both died soon afterwards.

Mrs Bloomer is in a critical condition at the Royal Preston Hospital

Mrs
Bloomer suffered multiple injuries and was later to transferred to
Royal Preston Hospital where she was in a critical condition last night
with her family at her bedside.

Her friend Lydia Shorrock
described her as a wonderful mum. 'She doted on her children. She is a
lovely person and a fantastic mother. This is a real shock.

'My sympathies go to both families.'

Tributes left at the scene of the tragedy included one from Jayden's father, Chris.

It read: 'To my baby boy. We will miss you so much. Mummy is fighting in there.

'Declan misses his baby brother and mummy and daddy.

'Love you so much, Jayden. (Daddy's star)'

Local
councillor Allah Dad added: 'The road is busy, but with the traffic
lights being so close together I don't think you could build up a lot
of speed in that stretch.'

Resident Alan Smith added: 'It's a very dangerous road. I've nearly been knocked over myself a few times.'

Police
said they were treating the crash as 'a tragic accident' and were
investigating what caused the Rover driver to lose control.

Sgt
Mick Young, of Lancashire Police, said: 'At the moment the focus of the
investigation is on the possibility that the driver was taken ill or
collapsed at the wheel whilst driving to Accrington town centre.

'What witnesses say may point towards the fact that the driver was suffering some sort of episode prior to the incident.'